Dell Inspiron N4010 Hard Disk Drive Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          25 - 30 minutes

Sections

Battery
3 steps
Keyboard
6 steps
Top Cover
4 steps
Fan
4 steps
Motherboard
4 steps
Hard Disk Drive
4 steps

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BackDell Inspiron 14R (N4010)
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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Battery

Make sure the laptop is not plugged into any wall outlets or the charger
Unlock the battery by sliding the right-hand switch to the right.

Make sure the laptop is not plugged into any wall outlets or the charger

Unlock the battery by sliding the right-hand switch to the right.

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Step 2

While holding the left-hand switch to the left position, pull the battery away from the laptop.

While holding the left-hand switch to the left position, pull the battery away from the laptop.

Step 3

The battery is now fully removed and the laptop will not power on without it.

The battery is now fully removed and the laptop will not power on without it.

Step 4

              Keyboard

Using the #0 Philips head, unscrew the indicated screw.
Carefully pull the RAM cover up and away.

Using the #0 Philips head, unscrew the indicated screw.

Carefully pull the RAM cover up and away.

Step 5

Unscrew the indicated 5.7mm screw beneath the RAM Cover.

Unscrew the indicated 5.7mm screw beneath the RAM Cover.

Step 6

Remove another screw above the battery release tab

Remove another screw above the battery release tab

Step 7

Using a thin plastic tool (such as a guitar pick or spudger) at the top of the keyboard just above the F7 key, gently pry the keyboard away.
Move the spudger to either end at the top of the keyboard to fully undo all plastic clips.

Using a thin plastic tool (such as a guitar pick or spudger) at the top of the keyboard just above the F7 key, gently pry the keyboard away.

Move the spudger to either end at the top of the keyboard to fully undo all plastic clips.

Step 8

Carefully tip the keyboard upwards and pull it slightly away from the body of the laptop.
Be careful not to put stress on the ribbon cable below.

Carefully tip the keyboard upwards and pull it slightly away from the body of the laptop.

Be careful not to put stress on the ribbon cable below.

Step 9

Carefully unclip the ribbon cable by tipping the keyboard towards the screen.
The keyboard is now completely disconnected.

Carefully unclip the ribbon cable by tipping the keyboard towards the screen.

The keyboard is now completely disconnected.

Step 10

              Top Cover

Remove the indicated 5.7mm screws.
Remove the smaller 3mm screws from underneath the battery compartment.

Remove the indicated 5.7mm screws.

Remove the smaller 3mm screws from underneath the battery compartment.

Step 11

With a plastic spudger, pry away the silver top cover from the black casing.
Move the tool to the right and left along the seams to fully disconnect the cover.

With a plastic spudger, pry away the silver top cover from the black casing.

Move the tool to the right and left along the seams to fully disconnect the cover.

Step 12

Disconnect the indicated ribbon cables underneath where the keyboard sits.

Disconnect the indicated ribbon cables underneath where the keyboard sits.

Step 13

Lift the cover upwards and away from the body of the laptop, after removing the optical drive and unscrewing the three screws on the right

Lift the cover upwards and away from the body of the laptop, after removing the optical drive and unscrewing the three screws on the right

Step 14

Fan

Peel back the yellow tape to expose the ribbon connector.
Unplug the ribbon cable from the motherboard.

Peel back the yellow tape to expose the ribbon connector.

Unplug the ribbon cable from the motherboard.

Step 15

Unplug the 3-wire connector from the motherboard.

Unplug the 3-wire connector from the motherboard.

Step 16

Unscrew the indicated 5.6mm screws with the #0 Phillips Head Screwdriver.

Unscrew the indicated 5.6mm screws with the #0 Phillips Head Screwdriver.

Step 17

Remove the fan from the device.

Remove the fan from the device.

Step 18

              Motherboard

Unscrew the two screws on the right hand speaker with the #0 Phillips Head.
Unplug the speaker connector from the motherboard.

Unscrew the two screws on the right hand speaker with the #0 Phillips Head.

Unplug the speaker connector from the motherboard.

Step 19

Reaching under the daughter board, disconnect the connector.
It will be under the board in the area indicated.

Reaching under the daughter board, disconnect the connector.

It will be under the board in the area indicated.

Step 20

Unscrew the indicated 5.6mm screws with a Phillips #0 screwdriver.

Unscrew the indicated 5.6mm screws with a Phillips #0 screwdriver.

Step 21

The motherboard can now be removed by pulling upwards, tilting it to the left of the laptop until the connectors clear the body of the laptop.

The motherboard can now be removed by pulling upwards, tilting it to the left of the laptop until the connectors clear the body of the laptop.

Step 22

              Hard Disk Drive

Unscrew the 6 Phillips head screws holding the hard drive to the motherboard with the #0 driver head.

Unscrew the 6 Phillips head screws holding the hard drive to the motherboard with the #0 driver head.

Step 23

Slide the hard drive towards the center of the motherboard.
The hard drive should come away from the motherboard.

Slide the hard drive towards the center of the motherboard.

The hard drive should come away from the motherboard.

Step 24

Undo the 2 screws with the #0 Phillips head driver on either side of the hard drive assembly.

Undo the 2 screws with the #0 Phillips head driver on either side of the hard drive assembly.

Step 25

Slide the assembly off of the hard drive.

Slide the assembly off of the hard drive.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                                                                                      3 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 2 other contributors

                    Jonathan Sellier

Member since: 09/26/2017

886 Reputation

                                      7 Guides authored                  



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Team

                       USF Tampa, Team S13-G5, Boczar Fall 2017                        

                                                  Member of USF Tampa, Team S13-G5, Boczar Fall 2017 



                    USFT-BOCZAR-F17S13G5                     


                                            5 Members                     


                                            9 Guides authored

Jason Northrup - May 31, 2018

I hope somebody at Dell lost their job over this design.

Robert G - Jun 19, 2019

hahaha i agree

Terry McKean - Jul 9, 2020

The N4010 is definitely a beautiful-looking set, but it’s sure a tough nut to crack when it’s time to repair something inside it, lol :-D

ptooti - May 8, 2019

A bunch of screws not listed have to be removed also they are in proximity of the cmos battery I imagine someone will damage their machine following this NOT GOOD! I signed up just to post this! Look for screws with the LETTER B they need removing before the board can come out! ifixit should screen their submissions better

Jonathan Sellier - Jun 21, 2019

In step 20 we remove the screws

Introduction#

What you need#

Team#

Introduction

What you need

Team